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    Cold-Water Fatality Prevention Quiz

    Cold Water Fatality Prevention Quiz

    Photo By Pamela Doty | By R.J. Garren read more read more

    UNITED STATES

    01.22.2021

    Story by Pamela Doty 

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Water Safety

    Take this quiz and discover more about cold-water-fatality prevention. For those who follow and view the Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns campaign posts three times a week at Please Wear It on social media (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram), you should be able to pass this quiz with flying colors. The answers to this quiz could help save your life or the life of someone you care about.

    TRUE or FALSE: If you fall into cold water the weight of your clothes and shoes will pull you down and cause you to drown.
    ANSWER: False. Wet clothes and shoes only weigh you down when you’re getting out of the water. Layers of clothes and shoes will help you retain body heat and possibly trap air to help you float so keep them on in the water. They can delay the cold-water immersion process that can lead to death. Of course, a life jacket is the best thing to wear because it increases your chances of survival.

    TRUE or FALSE: Hypothermia is what kills most people who fall into cold water.
    ANSWER: False. Most people drown in the first minute of cold-water immersion due to cold shock and their involuntary gasp reflex. Heavy breathing from trying to catch your breath in cold water causes hyperventilation which can cause you to blackout and drown. You must stay calm, relax, and control your breathing in order to survive this first stage of cold-water immersion called cold shock. Hypothermia is the third stage of cold-water immersion.

    TRUE or FALSE: People who know how to swim don’t drown, even in cold water.
    ANSWER: False. Cold water disables even good swimmers and the second stage of cold-water immersion is called cold incapacitation. In approximately 10-minutes you will lose your ability to move your hands, arms, and legs. Swimming or treading water can cause you to lose your body heat even faster. Research shows that even in warm-water temperatures most adults who drown in open water (i.e. lakes, rivers, ponds, etc.) were perceived to know how to swim.

    TRUE or FALSE: Cold water can cause you to lose your body heat 25 times faster than cold air.
    ANSWER: True. Hypothermia can happen anywhere that the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. Cold water accelerates that process 25 times faster than cold air. Experts estimate that the average amount of time it takes for hypothermia (the third stage of cold-water immersion) to occur in cold water is one hour. The specific amount of time that it takes for hypothermia to happen depends on water temperature, clothing, body type, and your behavior in the water.

    TRUE or FALSE: If you survive being in cold water, it’s still possible to die after you’ve been removed from the water.
    ANSWER: True. The fourth stage of cold-water immersion is called post-immersion collapse. Collapsed arterial blood pressure during this stage can lead to cardiac arrest. Also, inhaling cold water can damage your lungs and cause heart problems to develop as cold blood from your arms and legs is released into the core or your body.

    TRUE or FALSE: It’s critical to get medical treatment after any stage of cold-water immersion.
    ANSWER: True. During the rewarming process, cold blood trapped in your extremities can come rushing back to your heart. The shock of that may cause ventricular fibrillation leading to cardiac arrest.

    TRUE or FALSE: It takes four inches of ice to be able to safely walk on it.
    ANSWER: False. Many people use this as a general rule, but it’s critical to note that this only pertains to new, clear ice that doesn’t have moving or fluctuating water levels beneath it. Plus, ice with snow on top is only about half as strong as new ice.


    TRUE or FALSE: Anyone who ventures out onto ice needs a good survival plan.
    ANSWER: True. A good survival plan includes carrying the right ice-rescue tools with you. Ice picks, sharpened screwdrivers, or even a pair of long nails can help you more easily pull yourself up out of the water and back onto the ice. Wearing a life jacket can also assist in the process of kicking your legs horizontally and pulling yourself out onto your elbows on the ice using your sharp objects. It’s never a good idea to venture out onto ice alone. Plus, you need to know how to access professional rescuers for help. Amateur rescue attempts often result in multiple fatalities.

    TRUE or FALSE: If you fall through ice, the thickest ice is most likely in the direction you came from.
    ANSWER: True. It’s best to turn in the direction you came from to try to get out of the water because the ice, before you fell through, was thick enough to hold you. When you’re partially out of the water on your elbows, you may want to wait briefly for some of the water to drain from your clothes. Once you’re out, stay lying flat, and roll away from the hole to keep your weight spread out or you may fall through again.

    TRUE or FALSE: If your boat capsizes and you fall out, you need to get away from it quickly or it will pull you down when it sinks.
    ANSWER: False. Small vessels are required to have basic flotation so it’s best to stay with your boat when it capsizes and get as much of your body out of the water as possible. If you’re in the water, from your eye-level view the shoreline will appear to be closer than it is. You should only attempt to swim for the shore if it’s very close and you’re wearing a life jacket. Even large vessels can trap air when capsized and may stay afloat for quite some time.

    If you got all ten answers correct, CONGRATULATIONS! To learn more about boating and water safety visit www.PleaseWearIt.com, follow Please Wear It on social media, and take an online or in-person boater safety course. Sharing this information with those you care about can help ensure that they return home safely from their cold-water adventures and it could possibly even save someone’s life.

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.22.2021
    Date Posted: 01.22.2021 17:11
    Story ID: 387431
    Location: US

    Web Views: 465
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN